Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-16
MT. DE CHANTAL.
THE EXERCISES INCIDENT 10 THR THIRTY
NINTH COMMENCEMENT
Bstwesn Three and -Four Hundred Friends d
the School Prsssnt-The Programme
IN Detail

the School Prssent-The Programme
in Detail.
The exercises at Mt. De Chantal, yes
terday, which brought to close the
thirty-ninth year of that celebrated
school, were witnessed by an audience Of
between three and four hundred ladies
and gentlemen-many of them parents,
relatives or friends of pupils; but the ma
jority, perhaps, made up of those who,
knowing the merits of the institution and
appreciating to the fullest extent the
noble work it is doing in the cause OF
education, attended the Commencement
through love for and interest in the school
and a desire to keep posted as to the pro
gress made within its walls. The train
bearing the visitors and the Catholic
clergy of the city, together with
a number of visiting Fathers
from abroad, left the Baltimore
and Ohio depot few minutes past ten
O'Clock, and after pleasant but exceed
ingly brief trip, the party disembarked at
the Mt. De ChaDtal station, and ladies
and gentlemen were soon hurrying up the
winding walk to the elevated plateau upon
which the immense building stands. By
half-past ten all had found seats within
the large hail at the northern end Of the
building, and the few moments inter
vening before the Inauguration of the ex-
ercises of the day were spent in converse
ton or in admiration of the handsome and
tasteful arrangement Of the hall.
THE STAGE
has been greatly enlarged since last year,
the addition giving some much needed
room for the accommodation of the pupils
and the musical instruments used during
the Commencement exercises. The plat
form had large number Of potted plants
interspersed among the seats allotted to
the pupils Of the various classes, and the
effect, when the young ladies were in their
places, was very pleasant. The costumes
of the graduates and others seemed, to the
repOrtOriai eye, to be step or two re-
moved from the simple and inexpensive
dresses of former years, but this may be an
inaccuracy into which the writer was
led by the charming picture presented to
his admiring gaze, during the rendition of
the programme, by that EcEtii9a ca the
apartment allotted 70 the pupils.
THE PROGRAMME
opened with the familiar 'Tannhauser"
march, Wagner, arranged for eight hands
at the pianos, and three harps, and as the
audience swept into the concert hall from
the corridors the performers-First piano,
Misses Marie Dent and Anna Mccullough;
second piano, Misses Katharine Stephens
and Hattie Wainwright, and Misses Annie
Lang, Teresa Lyons and Emma Lyons
were already seated at their instruments.
As soon as the audience had settled into
quietness, the ladies struck the F sharp
eighth notes, with which the composition
opens, and the exercises were begun. As
the performers, with the precision of ar
tistes, began the broad, well-marked theme
of the march, the pupils of the school be-
gan to appear upon the stage, crossing it
from the rear, and taking their seats upon
either hand, after bowling to Rt. Rev.
Bishop Kahn and the clergy and Sisters
upon the platform. When the march ended
all were in the seats assigned them. The
number was played most admirably, the
pianos and harps blending nicely, while
the execution of the individual performers
seemed to be beyond criticism.
The phantom Chorus" from La Som
followed the entrance march
upon the programme. The solo was taken
by Miss Teresa Maser, while the chorus
was composed of Misses Jane Humes,
BrOOksie Robinson, Julia DOran, Nora
Kerrisk. May Healy, Kate Hughes, Jennie
Brent, Kate Deegan, Mena McGraw, Gen.
ezra Friday. Mai B. Forbes, Nellie Can
non, Jennie Duncan, Alice Wainwright,
Mary Kennedy, Teresa Lyons, Della Dee
gah, Kate Steers, Laura Steers, Mary
Lodick, Adelaide Proctor, Ruth Hale,
Hattie Wainwright, Blanche StOckett and
Nellie Robinson. An animated recitativO
ushurs in the chOrus-often listened to Ge-
fore, but never certainly with such pleas
ure as yesterday. 1t is almost invidiOus to
particularize where the entire rendering is
but the delicacy ofthe piaRiSsimO
passages strikes one particularly. The
charm was heightened by the use of the
Italian words, well pronounced; for this
beautiful language, a necessity where
vocal culture holds the rank it does there,
is taught in the school.
The chorus was followed by
REMARKS ON VOCAL CULTURE"
read by Miss Clare Hale-a pointed and
protest against some of the super
fetal nicholson tricks, rather-of So
called culture nowadays. In emphasizing
the necessity of smooth, firm delivery of
tone, the hearers were delighted to hear -
telling protest against that enemy of real
art, the tremOlo, which is really only
trick to conceal either the effects of age OF
the want of culture Who that is in the
habit OF listening to much singing does not
suffer from this prevailing vice. 1t seems
that whenever a singer is at loss for purely
musical execution or expression, he decides
on h emOtO
"Siezing on innocent little B fiat
He shakes il as terrier shaking a rat"
Camille Saint-Saens' wierd 'Danse
Macabre" arranged for piano quartette,
came next. Miss Anna Lang, Kate
Deegan, Nellie Cannon and Jennie Duncan
the uncanny idea of the COM
poser I'd perfection, and one could well inn
agine the moonlight scene in the grave
yard, with the grim and grisley skeletons
dancing about and clanking their bones
together.
"L'AddiO," vocal duo, was
given by Misses Brooksie Robinson and
Mary Healy with excellent expression.
Miss Lille Potvin's composition, 1.-THE
Poet, " was followed by 'Abegg," (opus l,
played by Miss Jane Humes
in brilliant and refined style.
A vocal trio from Curschman, by Misses
Nora Kerrisk, Mary Healy and Ginevia
Friday, was opened by Miss Kerrisk. She
has fresh, clear voice and the song was
given by all with taste and finish.
Miss Anna Lang executed solo, ia
Danse des Fees, [" on the harp, most grace
ful of musical instruments. The compost
ion is difficult but the execution was
beautiful.
Miss Mai Forbes sang in a clear rich
voice and with dramatic power Freneh's
1arheeSsAp',% aSSOeruErUu, yesterday, II was